Expert thought

All this past year the CEMES foundation worked on a scholarly project, which examined the Ukrainian crisis from a theological, historical and canonical perspective, always in relation to the triptych: Primacy-Conciliarity-Autocephaly.

The Church of Greece came close to formalizing legal relations with the OCU. The couple has already tried to live together, household claims have not arisen, and now, finally, they are preparing to get a stamp in the passport.

Religious Studies

In the context of recent events in the Orthodox world, disputes over the boundaries of church institutions often arise between the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine accuses Russia of misappropriating the territory of the Kyiv Metropolis. In its turn, Moscow appeals to the fact that the ancient Kyiv Metropolis differs from the territory of modern Ukraine. RISU decided to clarify this topic, getting advice from historians. Based on this research, we prepared an infographic.

The first question that arises concerning Ukraine is this: with what right and based on which holy canons, does Russia today claim the ecclesiastical and administrative dependency of the Metropolis of Kyiv?

Vinnytsia

On Sunday, June 9, a meeting of the local religious community was held in the community hall of the Village of Vinnytski Khutory, near the regional center of Vinnytsia. Majority of the votes supported the transition of the community to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. It is reported by the website Na Paryzhi.

On January 23, the clergymen of the UOC-Moscow Patriarchate together with several men of athletic physique disrupted the meeting of the parishioners in the village of Pysarivka, Vinnytsia region which discussed the issue of transition to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

In the town of Bershad, Vinnytsya Oblast, a priest of the UOC-Moscow Patriarchate drove out of the church a woman who was baptized in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and prayed in Ukrainian, not allowing her to become a godmother for a newborn child.

During the working visit to Vinnytsia region, President Petro Poroshenko took part in the thanksgiving service for the Tomos of autocephaly of the UOC. The service was conducted by Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epifaniy and Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia and Bar in the Cathedral of Vinnytsia. The Tomos of Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was brought to the Cathedral.

Metropolitan Symeon (Shostatsky) of Vynnytsia and Bar, who is among the founders of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, named a number of reasons for transition of a large number of priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate. He also expressed confidence that in the future the transition of parishes from the UOC-MP to the Local Church will be irreversible.

Round table "Inter-confessional relations: focus on the issues of the Muslim community" was held in Vinnytsia on June 8. The event is part of the "Intercultural Cities" Council of Europe Program and is being implemented in the city to encourage representatives of national communities to participate in the city's socio-cultural life, as well as to strengthen the intercultural dialogue between government and the public.

Representatives of the OSCE Mission today meet with clergymen of various denominations of Vinnytsia region, as well as with local authorities, to monitor the religious situation in the region, Religion in Ukraine has reported, citing the websites of the UOC-KP and the UOC-MP.

“This monument is an example of the fact that we must nurture and sow the civilization of love. Avoid sowing hatred. We see an example of hatred - so many people shot and sent to the concentration camps,” says Bishop Leon.

Ancient Roman Catholic hurch of Archangel Michael in a small town of Tyvriv, which is located in Vinnytsia, is returned to life. With the restoration of the church, where the Soviet government arranged a plant and set up a laundering facility at the most sacred place of the temple, a cultural Christian center of the all-Ukrainian level should appear, UNIAN-Religion reported referring to Urban, a magazine of Vinnytsia.

On Wednesday night, April 11, the church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists “Salvation” located on 3 Komarova lane was burnt, according to the press service of the regional Emergence Service department.

The Pope's words for Ukraine are his Initiative “Pope for Ukraine” - this said Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti on April 8 during a press conference in Vinnytsia. According to the diplomat, now it is time not for just words, but for action.

A XVIII century wooden church in the village of Mala Rostivka, Vinnytsia region, is being renovated by a local farmer. According to preliminary calculations about three million UAH are required, Vlasno.info reports.

It is planned to involve Orthodox human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists in the Committee’s work. The retired clergymen of the Diocese of Tulchyn, Hierodeacon Ioan (Kurmoyarov) was appointed to the office of Secretary of the Committee for Defense of Canonical Orthodoxy"